Containers

ABSTRACT

A container includes a substantially cylindrical body portion comprising panels arranged about substantially the entire body portion and defining a body portion interior. Each panel includes substantially parallel side edges and an upper and lower edge. Each side edge of each panel is joined to a side edge of an adjacent panel. The upper edges of the panels form an upper edge of the body portion and the lower edges of the panels form a lower edge of the body portion. The upper edge and the lower edge of each panel are displaced circumferentially from one another. A closure member can be joined to the lower edge of the body portion. A recessed portion of the body portion can be concave and a most inward point of the recessed portion can be located approximately at the midpoint between the body portion upper edge and the body portion lower edge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to containers and, in particular, tocylindrical containers that can be used as barrels.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

Numerous types of containers, including containers that can be used forholding a variety of materials and that have either general or specialapplications, are disclosed in the prior art. Nevertheless, thedevelopment of new container designs remains an active enterprise andthe origination of new and improved designs is of interest.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following sets forth a simplified summary of selected aspects,embodiments and examples of the present invention for the purpose ofproviding a basic understanding of the invention. However, the summarydoes not constitute an extensive overview of all the aspects,embodiments and examples of the invention. Neither is the summaryintended to identify critical aspects or delineate the scope of theinvention. The sole purpose of the summary is to present selectedaspects, embodiments and examples of the invention in a concise form asan introduction to the more detailed description of the aspects,embodiments and examples of the invention that follow the summary.

According to a first aspect a container includes a substantiallycylindrical body portion comprising a plurality of panels arrangedseriatim about substantially the entirety of the substantiallycylindrical body portion and defining an interior of the substantiallycylindrical body portion. Each panel includes two panel side edges, apanel upper edge and a panel lower edge. Each panel side edge of eachpanel is joined to a corresponding panel side edge of the panel that islocated immediately adjacent to that panel. Thereby, the panel upperedges collectively form a body portion upper edge of the substantiallycylindrical body portion and the panel lower edges collectively form abody portion lower edge of the substantially cylindrical body portion.The panel upper edge and the panel lower edge of each panel of theplurality of panels are displaced circumferentially from one anotherabout the substantially cylindrical body portion. A first continuousclosure member can be joined to the body portion lower edge and closesoff the interior of the substantially cylindrical body portion at thebody portion lower edge.

According to a first embodiment of the first aspect, a recessed portionof the substantially cylindrical body portion encircling thesubstantially cylindrical body portion is concave in a direction towardthe interior of the substantially cylindrical body portion and, in afirst example of that first embodiment, a most inward point of therecessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion islocated approximately at the midpoint between the body portion upperedge and the body portion lower edge.

According to a second embodiment of the first aspect, an exposed surfaceof at least one portion of at least one panel is substantially planarand, according to a first example of that second embodiment, a recessedportion of the substantially cylindrical body portion encircling thesubstantially cylindrical body portion is concave in a direction towardthe interior of the substantially cylindrical body portion. In aparticular mode of that first example, a most inward point of therecessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion islocated approximately at the midpoint between the body portion upperedge and the body portion lower edge.

According to a second example of the second embodiment of the firstaspect, the exposed surface of the at least one portion of the at leastone panel is located adjacent to at least one of the body portion upperedge and the body portion lower edge. In a first mode of that secondexample, a recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical bodyportion encircling the substantially cylindrical body portion is concavein a direction toward the interior of the substantially cylindrical bodyportion, and, in a first type of that first mode, a most inward point ofthe recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion islocated approximately at the midpoint between the body portion upperedge and the body portion lower edge.

According to a third embodiment of the first aspect, an exposed surfaceof at least one portion of each panel of the plurality of panels issubstantially planar. In a first example of that third embodiment, arecessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portionencircling the substantially cylindrical body portion is concave in adirection toward the interior of the substantially cylindrical bodyportion. And in a first mode of that example, the most inward point ofthe recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portion islocated approximately at the midpoint between the body portion upperedge and the body portion lower edge.

According to a second example of the third embodiment of the firstaspect, the exposed surface of the at least one portion of each panel ofthe plurality of panels is located adjacent at least one of the bodyportion upper edge of the panel and the body portion lower edge. In afirst mode of that second example, a recessed portion of thesubstantially cylindrical body portion encircling the substantiallycylindrical body portion is concave in a direction toward the interiorof the substantially cylindrical body portion. And in a first type ofthat first mode, the most inward point of the recessed portion of thesubstantially cylindrical body portion is located approximately at themidpoint between the body portion upper edge and the body portion loweredge.

According to a second mode of the second example of the third embodimentof the first aspect, the exposed surface of the at least one portion ofeach of the plurality of panels is located both adjacent the bodyportion upper edge and the body portion lower edge. In a first type ofthat second mode, a recessed portion of the substantially cylindricalbody portion encircling the substantially cylindrical body portion isconcave in a direction toward the interior of the substantiallycylindrical body portion of the container. And according to a first kindof that first type, the most inward point of the recessed portion of thesubstantially cylindrical body portion is located approximately at themidpoint between the body portion upper edge and the body portion loweredge.

According to a second aspect, in a method of making the container of thefirst example of the first embodiment of the first aspect, the pluralityof panels are joined to one another to form a substantially cylindricalforerunner of the substantially cylindrical body portion of thecontainer. The substantially cylindrical forerunner includes a centralaxis, with the panel upper edges of the plurality of panels collectivelyforming a forerunner upper edge at the substantially cylindricalforerunner and the panel lower edges of the plurality of panelscollectively forming a forerunner lower edge at the substantiallycylindrical forerunner. The plurality of panels of the substantiallycylindrical forerunner are arranged so that the panel upper edge and thepanel lower edge of each panel are not displaced circumferentially fromone another about the substantially cylindrical forerunner but are inline with one another about the substantially cylindrical forerunner.The forerunner upper edge is rotated about the central axis of thesubstantially cylindrical forerunner while maintaining the forerunnerlower edge substantially stationary, whereby the panel upper edge ofeach panel of the plurality of panels is displaced circumferentiallyfrom the respective panel lower edge of the panels about thesubstantially cylindrical forerunner to form the substantiallycylindrical body portion of the container. The first continuous closuremember can be joined to the body portion lower edge of the substantiallycylindrical body portion to close off the interior of the substantiallycylindrical body portion at the body portion lower edge.

According to a third aspect, in a method of making the container of thefirst mode of the first example of the third embodiment of the firstaspect, the plurality of panels are joined to one another to form asubstantially cylindrical forerunner of the substantially cylindricalbody portion of the container. The substantially cylindrical forerunnerincludes a central axis, with the panel upper edges of the plurality ofpanels collectively forming a forerunner upper edge at the substantiallycylindrical forerunner and the panel lower edges of the plurality ofpanels collectively forming a forerunner lower edge at the substantiallycylindrical forerunner. The plurality of panels of the substantiallycylindrical forerunner are arranged so that the panel upper edge and thepanel lower edge of each panel are not displaced circumferentially fromone another about the substantially cylindrical forerunner but are inline with one another about the substantially cylindrical forerunner.The forerunner upper edge is rotated about the central axis of thesubstantially cylindrical forerunner while maintaining the forerunnerlower edge substantially stationary, whereby the panel upper edge ofeach panel of the plurality of panels is displaced circumferentiallyfrom the respective panel lower edge of the panels about thesubstantially cylindrical forerunner to form the substantiallycylindrical body portion of the container and the recessed portion ofthe container. The first continuous closure member can be joined to thebody portion lower edge of the substantially cylindrical body portion toclose off the interior of the substantially cylindrical body portion atthe body portion lower edge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other aspects, embodiments, examples, modes, types andkinds of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart to which the invention relates based on the detailed descriptionsthat follow with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein thesame reference numerals are used in the several figures to refer to thesame parts, elements and components and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first aspect of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a second aspect of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of an aspect of the invention in anintermediate stage of manufacture; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a component of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects, embodiments, and examples of the present invention aredescribed below with references, in certain respects, to theaccompanying drawings. These aspects, embodiments and examples are notintended to be limitations on the present invention. Thus, for example,in some instances, one or more examples of the present inventiondescribed with reference to one aspect or embodiment can be utilized inother aspects and embodiments. In addition, certain terminology is usedherein for convenience only and is not to be taken as limiting thepresent invention.

In a first aspect of the container of the present invention is shown inFIG. 1, wherein the container, indicated generally at 10, andcomprising, for example, an industrial barrel, includes a substantiallycylindrical body portion, indicated generally at 12, that comprises aplurality of panels 14 that are arranged seriatim about substantiallythe entirety of the substantially cylindrical body portion 12. Theexpression “substantially cylindrical” as applied to the cylindricalbody portion 12 is intended to be inclusive of a body portion having aconfiguration that is generated by a straight line moving parallel to afixed straight line and intersecting a plane curve as well as a bodyportion that has a configuration that sufficiently approximates a bodyportion that is generated by a straight line moving parallel to a fixedstraight line and intersecting a plane curve that one skilled in the artwould understand the body portion to be substantially cylindrical in itsgeneral appearance. Similarly, the expression “substantially theentirety of” as applied to the phrase “the substantially cylindricalbody portion” is intended to be inclusive of the entirety of thesubstantially cylindrical body portion as well as a sufficient extent ofthe substantially cylindrical body portion that one skilled in the artwould consider the panels to be arranged around substantially theentirety of the substantially cylindrical body portion.

The plurality of panels 14 defines an interior 16 of the substantiallycylindrical body portion 12. Each panel 14 includes two panel side edges18-18, which can be parallel to one another, a panel upper edge 20 and apanel lower edge 22. Each panel side edge 18 of each panel 14 is joinedat a joint 19 to a corresponding panel side edge 18 of a panel that islocated immediately adjacent to that panel. Thereby, the panel upperedges 20 of the panels 14 collectively form a body portion upper edge,indicated generally at 24, of the substantially cylindrical body portion12 and the panel lower edges 22 of the panels 14 collectively form abody portion lower edge, indicated generally at 26, of the substantiallycylindrical body portion. As shown in FIG. 1, the panel upper edge 20and the panel lower edge 22 of each panel 14 of the plurality of panelsare displaced circumferentially from one another about the substantiallycylindrical body portion 12. A first continuous closure member 28 can bejoined to the body portion lower edge 26 to close off the interior 16 ofthe substantially cylindrical body portion 12 at the body portion loweredge 26.

The container 10 can be constructed of any one of various materials. Forexample, the containers can be formed from plastic materials such asthermosetting plastics and metals such as aluminum and steel.

In a second aspect of the container 10 of the present invention shown inFIG. 2, the container includes a substantially cylindrical body portion12 constructed of a plurality of panels 14 that are arranged seriatimabout substantially the entirety of the substantially cylindrical bodyportion 12. The plurality of panels 14 in the aspect of FIG. 2 definesan interior 16 of the substantially cylindrical body portion 12 and eachpanel 14 includes two substantially parallel panel side edges 18-18 apanel upper edge 20 and a panel lower edge 22. In the aspect of FIG. 2,each panel side edge 18 of each panel 14 is joined to a correspondingpanel side edge 18 of a panel that is located immediately adjacent tothat panel at a joint 19 so that the panel upper edges 20 of the panels14 collectively form a body portion upper edge 24 and the panel loweredges 22 collectively form a body portion lower edge 26. In the aspectof FIG. 2, the panel upper edge 20 and the panel lower edge 22 of eachpanel 14 are displaced circumferentially from one another about thesubstantially cylindrical body portion 12 and the first continuousclosure member 28 can be joined to the body portion lower edge 26 toclose off the interior 16 of the substantially cylindrical body portion12 at the body portion lower edge 26. In the aspect of FIG. 2, arecessed portion, shown generally at 15, of the substantiallycylindrical body portion 12 encircles the substantially cylindrical bodyportion. The recessed portion 15 is concave in a direction toward theinterior 16 of the substantially cylindrical body portion 12. In oneembodiment of the aspect of FIG. 2, a most inward point of the recessedportion 15 of the substantially cylindrical body portion 12 is locatedapproximately at the midpoint between the body portion upper edge 24 andthe body portion lower edge 26.

With respect to embodiments of the aspects of both FIGS. 1 and 2, anexposed surface of at least one portion of at least one panel 14 can besubstantially planar. And in additional embodiments of both aspects ofFIGS. 1 and 2, an exposed surface of at least one portion of each panelof the plurality of panels 14 can be substantially planar. In particularexamples of all those embodiments, the exposed surface of the at leastone portion of the at least one panel 14 that is substantially planarand the at least one portion of each of the plurality of panels 14 thatis substantially planar can be located adjacent at least one of the bodyportion upper edge 24 and the body portion lower edge 26. In additionalexamples of those embodiments, the exposed surface of the portion of thepanels that is substantially planar can be located both adjacent thebody portion upper edge 24 and adjacent the body portion lower edge 26.

The expression “substantially planar” as applied to the “exposedsurface” of a panel is intended to be inclusive of both exposed surfacesof portions of the container 10 that contain all the straight linesconnecting any two points on an exposed surface as well as an exposedsurface that sufficiently approximates a surface that contains all thestraight lines connecting any two points on the surface that one skilledin the art would consider the exposed surface to be substantiallyplanar.

The exposed surfaces of portions of the panels can be planar in and ofthemselves or enhancements or appendages can be included at portions ofthe panels so as to provide the planar surfaces. In FIG's. 1 and 2, forexample, enhancements in the form of medallions, indicated generally at30, are embossed into each of the panels 14 adjacent the body portionupper edge 24. Each of the medallions 30 includes an exposedsubstantially planar surface 32. The exposed substantially planarsurfaces provided at the panels 14, whether they be provided by theexposed outer surfaces of the panels 14 themselves or by means ofenhancements or appendages, such as the medallions 30, whether they beprovided at all the panels 14 or at selected panels 14 and whether theybe located adjacent the body portion upper edge 24, such as themedallions 30, adjacent the body portion lower edge 26, adjacent boththe body portion upper edge 24 and the body portion lower edge 26, or atother locations at the panels 14 can serve a useful purpose. Forexample, auxiliary components such as plugs, valves or taps, having acomplementary attaching planar surface can be welded to an exposedplanar surface at a panel 14 without the risk of burning through thepanel as can be the case when an auxiliary component with an attachingplanar surface is welded to a panel with a curved surface as is familiarto those skilled in the art. It is to be noted that even the recessedportion 15 of a panel 14 can be provided with an exposed planar surfaceby the addition to the panel at the recessed portion 15 of anenhancement or appendage that includes an attaching surface that iscomplementary with the recess portion 15 and has an exposed planarsurface.

A method of making one or more of the aspects described above, andembodiments and examples thereof, can comprise joining the plurality ofthe panels 14 to one another to form a substantially cylindricalforerunner of the substantially cylindrical body portion 12 of thecontainer 10 as illustrated in FIG. 3. The substantially cylindricalforerunner includes a central axis 34, with the panel upper edges 20 ofthe plurality of panels 14 collectively forming a forerunner upper edge36 at the substantially cylindrical forerunner 33 and the panel loweredges 22 of the plurality of panels collectively forming a forerunnerlower edge 38 at the substantially cylindrical forerunner. Thereby, asshown in FIG. 3, the plurality of panels 14 of the substantiallycylindrical forerunner are arranged so that the panel upper edge 20 andthe panel lower edge 22 of each panel 14 are not displacedcircumferentially from one another about the substantially cylindricalforerunner but are in line with one another about the substantiallycylindrical forerunner. That is, a line connecting the midpoint of apanel upper edge 20 and the panel lower edge 22 of a respective panelwould intersect both the forerunner upper edge 36 and the forerunnerlower edge 38 at a right angle.

Following the formation of the substantially cylindrical forerunner, theforerunner upper edge 36 is rotated about the central axis 34 of thesubstantially cylindrical forerunner while maintaining the forerunnerlower edge 38 substantially stationary. Thereby, the panel upper edge 20of each of the plurality of panels is displaced circumferentially fromthe respective panel lower edge 22 of the panels about the substantiallycylindrical forerunner to form the substantially cylindrical bodyportion 12 of the container 10. The first continuous closure member 28can be joined to the forerunner lower edge 38 prior to the forerunnerupper edge 36 being rotated about the central axis 34 or to the bodyportion lower edge 26 of the substantially cylindrical body portion 12after the forerunner upper edge 36 is rotated about the central axis 34.

The rotation of the forerunner upper edge 36 of the substantiallycylindrical forerunner while maintaining the forerunner lower edge 38substantially stationary in the manner described can impart to thesubstantially cylindrical body portion 12, as it is formed from theforerunner, the concavity at the recess portion 15 encircling thesubstantially cylindrical body portion as shown in FIG. 2. The greaterthat the forerunner upper edge 36 of the substantially cylindricalforerunner 33 is rotated with respect to the forerunner lower edge 38,and, thereby, the greater degree to which the panel upper edges 20 aredisplaced circumferentially from the panel lower edges 22, the deepertoward the interior of the container 10 will the concavity at the recessportion 15 extend.

A lid, indicated generally at 40, can be provided for the top of thecontainer 10 at the body portion upper edge 24. The lid 40 can begenerally circular to match the configuration of the body portion upperedge 24 and include an attaching edge 41 by means of which the lid 40 isattached to the body portion upper edge 24 of the cylindrical bodyportion 12. The portion 46 of the lid 40 that lies inwardly of theattaching edge 41 of the lid 40 can be recessed below the attaching edge41. Standoffs 42 that are raised above the portion 46 of the lid 40 canbe provided at the portion 46 of the lid 40 at which, for example,equipment employed with the container 10 can be installed and secured.In addition, an accessing attachment 44, provided with an opening, canbe installed at the portion 46 of the lid 40. Lines for injecting and/orwithdrawing liquids to and from the interior 16 of the container 10 canbe secured to the accessing attachment 44.

While the present invention has been described above and illustratedwith reference to certain embodiments thereof, it is to be understoodthat the invention is not so limited. Thus, as noted above, the variousaspects of the present invention can have applications to containers ofvarious sizes and those applications are not limited to barrels. Inaddition, modifications and alterations of the aspects of the inventiondescribed herein will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading andunderstanding the specification, including the drawings. The presentinvention is intended to cover and include any and all suchmodifications and variations to the described embodiments that areencompassed by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A container including a substantially cylindricalbody portion comprising a plurality of panels arranged seriatim aboutsubstantially the entirety of the substantially cylindrical body portionand defining an interior of the substantially cylindrical body portion,each panel including two panel side edges, a panel upper edge and apanel lower edge, each panel side edge of each panel joined to acorresponding panel side edge of a panel located immediately adjacentthat panel, whereby the panel upper edges collectively form a bodyportion upper edge of the substantially cylindrical body portion and thepanel lower edges collectively form a body portion lower edge of thesubstantially cylindrical body portion, the panel upper edge and thepanel lower edge of each panel of the plurality of panels beingdisplaced circumferentially from one another about the substantiallycylindrical body portion.
 2. The container of claim 1 wherein a recessedportion of the substantially cylindrical body portion encircling thecylindrical body portion is concave in a direction toward the interiorof the substantially cylindrical body portion.
 3. The container of claim2 wherein a most inward point of the recessed portion of thesubstantially cylindrical body portion is located approximately at themidpoint between the body portion upper edge and the body portion loweredge.
 4. The container of claim 1 wherein an exposed surface of at leastone portion of at least one panel is substantially planar.
 5. Thecontainer of claim 4 wherein a recessed portion of the substantiallycylindrical body portion encircling the cylindrical body portion isconcave in a direction toward the interior of the substantiallycylindrical body portion.
 6. The container of claim 5 wherein a mostinward point of the recessed portion of the substantially cylindricalbody portion is located approximately at the midpoint between the bodyportion upper edge and the body portion lower edge.
 7. The container ofclaim 4 wherein the exposed surface of the at least one portion of theat least one panel is located adjacent at least one of the body portionupper edge and the body portion lower edge.
 8. The container of claim 7wherein a recessed portion of the substantially cylindrical body portionencircling the cylindrical body portion is concave in a direction towardthe interior of the substantially cylindrical body portion.
 9. Thecontainer of claim 8 wherein a most inward point of the recessed portionof the substantially cylindrical body portion is located approximatelyat the midpoint between the body portion upper edge and the body portionlower edge.
 10. The container of claim 1 wherein an exposed surface ofat least one portion of each panel of the plurality of panels issubstantially planar.
 11. The container of claim 10 wherein a recessedportion of the substantially cylindrical body portion encircling thecylindrical body portion is concave in a direction toward the interiorof the substantially cylindrical body portion.
 12. The container ofclaim 11 wherein a most inward point of the recessed portion of thesubstantially cylindrical body portion is located approximately at themidpoint between the body portion upper edge and the body portion loweredge.
 13. The container of claim 10 wherein the exposed surface of theat least one portion of each panel of the plurality of panels is locatedadjacent at least one of the body portion upper edge and the bodyportion lower edge.
 14. The container of claim 13 wherein a recessedportion of the substantially cylindrical body portion encircling thecylindrical body portion is concave in a direction toward the interiorof the substantially cylindrical body portion.
 15. The container ofclaim 14 wherein a most inward point of the recessed portion of thesubstantially cylindrical body portion is located approximately at themidpoint between the body portion upper edge and the body portion loweredge.
 16. The container of claim 13 wherein the exposed surface of theat least one portion of each of the plurality of panels is located bothadjacent the body portion upper edge and the body portion lower edge.17. The container of claim 16 wherein a recessed portion of thesubstantially cylindrical body portion encircling the cylindrical bodyportion is concave in a direction toward the interior of thesubstantially cylindrical body portion.
 18. The container of claim 17wherein a most inward point of the recessed portion of the substantiallycylindrical body portion is located approximately at the midpointbetween the body portion upper edge and the body portion lower edge. 19.A method of making the container of claim 3 including: joining theplurality of panels to one another to form a substantially cylindricalforerunner of the substantially cylindrical body portion of thecontainer, wherein the substantially cylindrical forerunner includes acentral axis, with the panel upper edges of the plurality of panelscollectively forming a forerunner upper edge at the substantiallycylindrical forerunner and the panel lower edges of the plurality ofpanels collectively forming a forerunner lower edge at the substantiallycylindrical forerunner, and wherein the plurality of panels of thesubstantially cylindrical forerunner are arranged so that the panelupper edge and the panel lower edge of each panel are not displacedcircumferentially from one another about the substantially cylindricalforerunner but are in line with one another about the substantiallycylindrical forerunner; and rotating the forerunner upper edge about thecentral axis of the substantially cylindrical forerunner whilemaintaining the forerunner lower edge substantially stationary, wherebythe panel upper edge of each of the plurality of panels is displacedcircumferentially from the respective panel lower edge of the panelsabout the substantially cylindrical forerunner to form the substantiallycylindrical body portion of the container.
 20. A method of making thecontainer of claim 12 including: joining the plurality of panels to oneanother to form a substantially cylindrical forerunner of thesubstantially cylindrical body portion of the container, wherein thesubstantially cylindrical forerunner includes a central axis, with thepanel upper edges of the plurality of panels collectively forming aforerunner upper edge at the substantially cylindrical forerunner andthe panel lower edges of the plurality of panels collectively forming aforerunner lower edge at the substantially cylindrical forerunner, andwherein the plurality of panels of the substantially cylindricalforerunner are arranged so that the panel upper edge and the panel loweredge of each panel are not displaced circumferentially from one anotherabout the substantially cylindrical forerunner but are in line with oneanother about the substantially cylindrical forerunner; and rotating theforerunner upper edge about the central axis of the substantiallycylindrical forerunner while maintaining the forerunner lower edgesubstantially stationary, whereby the panel upper edge of each of theplurality of panels is displaced circumferentially from the respectivepanel lower edge of the panels about the substantially cylindricalforerunner to form the substantially cylindrical body portion of thecontainer.